Christmas Holiday Husband by Kris Pearson Page B

as she descended the stairs and found they had company.
    “Ellie—this is Gwen McGovern, and her husband Peter,” Ginny said. “Ellie’s here to give the twins some crash-tutoring before school starts next year,” she explained to the dinner guests.
    Ellie caught Tony’s rueful grin across the room; presumably he’d forgotten they were entertaining this evening. She watched as he opened a bottle of red wine and began to pour it into beautiful big goblets for his guests.
    “Just a tiny mouthful for me,” Gwen said, patting her impressive baby bump. “You’ve got the garden looking wonderful, Ginny,” she added, as they wandered through the open French doors and out onto the wide paved terrace. “The Copper Beech and those silver Astelias are stunning together.”
    Ginny settled into one of the shadier chairs. “Thanks to old Herbie. He’s officially retired from the heavy farm work, but he won’t desert his garden. I’m happy to have his help for as long as he’s willing and able.”
    “Send him over to Sevenoaks if he wants a real challenge,” Peter rumbled.
    Ellie watched Tony from under her lashes. She contrasted his trim jeans-clad butt with Peter’s bulkier body. Both were tall, but Peter was a solid teddy bear of a man. They were obviously good friends, now standing side by side keeping watchful eyes on their respective children as the youngsters gave the big trampoline an enthusiastic workout.
    “Can we swim?” one of the McGovern boys yelled.
    “Maybe after dinner,” Gwen called back.
    Ellie had admired the generous swimming pool the previous morning. After so many hours of sunshine, it would be like submerging in liquid silk.
    She knew Cal would have adored digging for old shells and bones and bossing his little half-sisters about that afternoon. Would have loved the company of the McGovern boys this evening. And instead, he’d be sitting in his grandmother’s tiny flat, trying to keep the TV volume low while she attended to church correspondence or fundraising plans for some good community cause. So unfair.
    She’d ached to provide him with a proper home. He’d chosen fresh blue paint for his bedroom walls, and a bright frieze of Formula One cars and motor bikes. Their house would be ready in just a few weeks. All the years of hard work and scrimping were coming to fruition, but the gloss had now been rubbed off her longed-for new life because she knew she’d never be able to provide him with everything his father could.
    “Feel like joining them?” Tony asked a few seconds later. He dropped a tender kiss on her bare shoulder.
    “I’ve had enough water for one day.”
    “A midnight swim later, perhaps?”
    Later! A shiver of desire shot right through her. She easily imagined the two of them, nude, comfortable with each other’s bodies again, embracing in the huge pool. A slender new moon had just risen over the still-bright horizon. It would be high above by midnight, washing them with its silvery radiance as they refreshed themselves after an eager reunion.
    She knew there’d be no holding back, no tender lead-up. They were adults with fierce appetites now, hungry to enjoy each other again.
    Tony briefly rested his hands on her hips, then moved away to attend to the barbecue. His palm prints burned as hot as the sizzling grill plate.
    She squared her shoulders and raised her chin. She was so nearly home; she mustn’t lose her resolve at the final fence.
    I should resist him, I should resist him, she thought. But she feared she was already lost.
    “You enjoy barbecued food?” Ginny asked from her nearby chair. Ellie sensed her tone was cooler than usual. Had she seen Tony’s possessive caress? Her beloved daughter was barely dead, and Ellie couldn’t blame her if she’d misinterpreted. Did she now presume the teacher was a gold-digger? Grabbing the chance to try and snare a wealthy husband while employed at the farm?
    She drew a resolute breath. She needed to put paid to